Savage/Criterion Complete

[JLA]

I got the stock back today from the dipper. It turned out great.

Very happy with the overall results of this build and am anxiously waiting to start my rem 700 .243.

This rifle started life as a plain jane, bone stock Savage mod. 11 with a 22" #3 sporter .308 barrel. Its the new model accustock/accutrigger with the smooth barrel nut.

I ordered A CBI varmint contour 26" .308 match barrel and a savage fluted nut to replace my smooth one, then cut the stock out for the heavy barrel.

I took the action and bolt apart and lapped the locking lugs square to the reciever threads with 600 grit silicon carbide lapping compound and a brownells bolt lapping jig, which werent off by much if any at all. Later on when i get a lathe set up ill pull it back apart and blueprint the action entirely.

Then mounted the CBI barrel to the action and set the headspace with a manson go guage. Its set for pinch fit and the bolt wont close with a .002" thick slice of shipping tape stuck to the back of the go guage, let alone a .004" longer no go guage.

I topped the action with a one piece leupold steel dovetail base and medium steel rings. The scope is a Nikon 4.5-14X40mm with BDC.

I had the stock sent over to Stuarts cousin who does film transfer and he did a wicked sick ghost skull pattern on the plain black accustock.

Lastly a 1 1/4 wide nylon sling and 6" rock mount bipod.

This isnt so much a target rifle as it is a long range hunting rifle, but should fill both bills nicely, as was my intention in putting it together...

heres the pics! Ill try n find a pic of the rifle before i started so you can see how far its come...

[Shooter45]

Nice !!!!

We are waiting for the range report.

[jlloyd73]

Well, now that it's done.........send it to my house......great gun.

[AAofLot19]

Its set for pinch fit and the bolt wont close with a .002" thick slice of shipping tape stuck to the back of the go guage, let alone a .004" longer no go guage.

Precision makes perfect! Great looking gun too.

[JLA]

range report coming soon fellas. waiting for the perfect day All the testing will be done at 200 yds

[JLA]

Here we go. I found a pic of the rifles as I got them nearly 2 months ago... HUGE difference if I do say so myself. The Savage is the one on top in this pic... The Rem 700 will look quite different when doen too. I better save this pic..

[American Leader]

Nice job JLA, I'll bet you love it! Barrel is gorgeous, whats the weight?

[JLA]

its a good 12 pounder with the scope. Makes recoil off those 175 grainers seem like a .223

[DODGE-KIMBER]

I like the before and after pictures. Really good job

[JLA]

thanks dear

[American Leader]

12# ok but a lot of weight for an old guy

[JLA]

Its alot of weight for a young guy too AL, My idea of long range hunting is parking at the gate of the lease and shooting the deer off the hood of the truck, maybe a 500 or 600 yd shot from the gate.

99% of the shooting i do is at paper and I park close to the bench so i can hear the radio in the truck...

So, in a perfect world, i'll never really have to carry it far.

[American Leader]

I could live with that! Makes me think of the range where I belong. We keep it like a State Park with beautiful Oak trees and many ranges. Outside covered bench range, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 1000 yards, plus 10 walled ranges, and covered handgun range. Also two indoor ranges. It is so much fun to go shooting here. I could us your rifle here! Can't wait to see what you do with the Rem 700

[dragman]

That thing is NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Helix_FR]

Stu's cousin does some fine work. Defiantly looks more like a solid performer than the standard black on black. Nice work my friend. I'm sure you'll be killing flies at 200yds

[DGG!]

I want to see some 300 yard targets, then I'll comment on what I think of your gun.

[JLA]

Thanks guys!

250 will hafta do DGG, My range is set up for 250 max. One day ill find a place that has 300+ and buy it and have my own loooong range

[gunplumber]

Very nice job. Nothing like making a good gun better and I bet it shoots too. I am wondering about your bbl and if you have used many of them and also if you have been happy with the results across the board? I have never tried that brand, being a Lija user mostly.

[JLA]

Gunplumber, this is my first Criterion barrel, and wont be my last! Criterion got its start as the button rifling division of Krieger barrels inc. CBI was recommended to me by Jim Briggs (northlander) over on savageshooters forum, He owns and operates NSS and deals with CBI, Shilen, McGowen barrels exclusively. He told me the CBI match barrels are inside and out comparable to shilens select match and Mcgowens match barrels, but nobody had ordered very many because they dont 'know' about them. So I ordered one, Heck ill be the guinea pig! I am very very happy with this barrel. It came to me hand lapped and button rifled with a 4 groove radiused 10 twist cut with a match .308 chamber, My groups during break in were averaging 3/4 at 200 yds. The bore stopped collecting copper within 10 rounds of starting the break in, so i finished the initial 20, cleaning between each one and fired 6 five round groups, cleaning between each group for a total break in of 50 rounds.

I still have yet to hit the range with a box of handloads using the necksized brass from the break in and 175 gr sierra MKs loaded over alliants new power pro 2000MR, I will be doing the ladder test to develop a load next range visit. Today would have been a perfect day but I just got off work, by the time I get over to the land it will be dark Maybe tomorrow will be as good as today and i get off earlier...

Sorry, rambling, to answer your question gunplumber, I find absolutely no reason not to keep using CBI barrels. I recommend you try one. Ill give you Jims contact info if you like...

[Crpdeth]

Very nice, Josh!


I like it a lot.


Crpdeth

[Zane71464]

Turned out really awesome...NICE!
Cant wait for that range report!
EDIT: Nice scope as well..

[gunplumber]

Thanks and i appreciate it. i may have to try one with the next build.

[JLA]

http://www.savageshooters.com/Savage...php?board=64.0

Here ya go gunplumber.. and anyone else interested in building savages and savaging rem 700s, which is what im gonna do next...

The guys name is Jim Briggs and hes an absolute pleasure to work with. One of the best dealers/suppliers I have ever dealt with!

[JLA]

Originally Posted by Crpdeth

Very nice, Josh!


I like it a lot.


Crpdeth

Originally Posted by Zane71464

Turned out really awesome...NICE!
Cant wait for that range report!
EDIT: Nice scope as well..

Thanks guys. I went and fired 10 rounds today in the horrendous wind! Nothing to brag about. managed a 1 7/8" 10 round string at 200 yds. I have not loaded my ladder test yet, Im doing that here in a few minutes. Hopefully tomorrow or sunday proves calm enough to test so i can get a load developed.

Thanks Zane for the comment on the scope. This is my first Nikon, I really like the clarity, but what else would you expect from one of the world premier camera makers?

Its easy to adjust, and the thing i like best about it is the side focus. It actually helps guestimate range too. with it set at 100 the 200 yd backer is blury, with it set at 300 the 200 yd backer is blury. so if you were hunting and didnt have a range finder, you could dial the focus on the animal youre hunting and read the setting it focuses best at and that will give you a close enough idea of the range to cleanly kill the beast, plus the BDC reticle compensates for bullet drop out to 500 yds so theoretically you could be on paper from 100 to 500 yds without touching the adjustment turrets, which is a feature I really like...

[Country101]

That's an awesome job! Looks really good. If you dont mind me asking, about how much do you have in it after making the upgrades?